God’s Remedy for Sin
In view of the facts presented in the preceding chapter, it may properly be said that sin exists in two forms—committed and inherited, or actual transgression and a deranged moral nature that gives a tendency to that which is sinful. Because of these two forms of sin man has a double need in salvation, He needs salvation from each. He first needs to be justified from committed sins, or, in other words, he needs to be brought into right relationship to God; and, second, he needs right character effected in himself.
It is true that reason does not require that these two phases of salvation be accomplished at two different times, but it is also true that the need for salvation in two forms does allow the possibility of two works of grace. We do not hold that rational proof of a second cleansing can be given; but as with other doctrines based on revelation alone, this is not unreasonable, and when this doctrine is shown to be taught by revelation it is unreasonable to do other than accept it. Because the sinner is two steps down from the moral plane of which Adam was created, it is reasonable to suppose that there are two steps up to it. This is incomplete as a proof of two works, but it is valid and real proof so far as it goes when taken in connection with other proofs to be given.
Sin in Regenerated a Ground for a Second Cleansing
It has been the common belief of Christians that depravity in some sense remains in believers after regeneration. The most devout Christians of the ages have testified to this remaining depravity after their conversion. And that such is the condition of the converted has also been held by practically all the church creeds. The Anglican Church creed says, “And this infection of the nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated.”1 Also the Westminster Creed of Presbyterians says, “This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain, in them that are regenerated.”2 Dr. Miley in his Systematic Theology says, “That somewhat of depravity remains in the regenerate, or that regeneration does not bring to completeness the inner spiritual life, is a widely accepted doctrine. Indeed, exceptions are so few that the doctrine must be regarded as truly catholic.”
Even when all due allowance has been made for the views of baptismal regeneration held by some, or of a degenerate form of regeneration, it is difficult to believe that the multitudes of the most godly men and women of the past and present were and are mistaken so entirely concerning their own inner spiritual experience. Especially is this reasoning from experience convincing when we remember that many of these persons testify to having been definitely delivered from this remaining depravity at a time subsequent to their being regenerated.
But the idea of remaining depravity in the regenerated does not necessarily carry with it the doctrine of a second cleansing from depravity in this life. Many who have strongly held the former have as emphatically denied the possibility of one’s being delivered from this remaining depravity before the hour of death. But, on the other hand, we need not suppose that the impossibility of entire sanctification is proved by the incompleteness or lack of it in regeneration. The proofs of the possibility of this second cleansing in this life will be given later, but let it be here remarked that Christ “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,” (Titus 2:14) that we might be pure “even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3) Therefore we reasonably suppose that this remaining depravity may be removed from us in this life, else Jesus’ mission was not altogether a success.
But what are the proofs of sin in believers? First, it is worthy of note, as already stated, that it has been the experience of Christians generally. However, because some persons are more depraved than others, either because of inherited or acquired depravity, those more depraved will usually be more keenly aware of the presence of it than those not so greatly depraved, just as some notice a greater change in themselves than do others when depravity is removed. But though these facts of experience are very valuable as corroborative proof, yet experience of itself alone is not a proper source of doctrine, hence we shall go to the Bible.
We call attention first to John 15:1-6, where Jesus describes a cleansing or purging of those who have been converted, by the figure of the purging of branches of a vine. A purging of believers implies something in them from which to be purged, and that must be a second cleansing, because all who have believed are already cleansed from committed sins. It will be noticed that the Father is represented as the husbandman, Christ the vine, and men (v. 6) or his disciples (v. 5) branches of the vine. They are said to be “in” Christ (v. 2), and “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” (2 Corinthians 5:17) or has been regenerated. This is certain. They are not, as some wrongly suppose, merely justified and not regenerated. This is shown, not only because of the last-mentioned text, but also because to be in Christ is to be in His church or kingdom, which is possible only through the new birth, for “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This person is also one who bears fruits, which is only possible to the regenerated according to Galatians 5:19-24. Sinners bear the fruits of the flesh. Those branches joined to Christ do not bear sinful fruit.
Purge as used in this text means “to cleanse.” The original word, kathairo, according to the very best Greek authorities, means “to cleanse,” and when used metaphorically, “to cleanse from sin.” The cleansing Jesus speaks of here is that of the heart, not that of the outward life. It will be seen by the brief summary given in the following chapter that the cleansing which is done by God is that of the heart, but that men are exhorted to cleanse their conduct themselves (1 Peter 1:14-16). Also it is a mistake to suppose this is an outward cleansing merely because it is represented by the purging of a vine. It is only an example of the inadequacy of natural figures perfectly to illustrate spiritual truths. If there had been an inner cleansing of a vine, Jesus would doubtless have used that instead of “purge” to represent this cleansing to be accomplished in believers that their fruitfulness might be increased.
That this inner cleansing is referred to is also evident from other parts of Jesus’ discourse and prayer recorded in John 14-17, of which this vine figure is a part. It agrees with the prayer for their sanctification (John 17:17) that they might be kept from the evil of the world. It agrees also with the promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier.
Other texts which imply sin in the regenerated by teaching a cleansing of believers are John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 5:27. These will be discussed in the next chapter.
Nature of Justification, Regeneration, Sanctification
A definition of this second cleansing from depravity naturally leads to the question of the distinction between regeneration and entire sanctification. What is justification? What is regeneration? And how does it differ from entire sanctification? That a distinction is to be made, not in time but in the nature, between the work of justification and that of regeneration is certain. These were distinguished in Old Testament type, being shown by the sprinkling of blood at the altar and washing with water at the laver. The two are different in their nature. Justification effects right relations with God; regeneration produces right character in us, enabling us to live right. “It [regeneration] differs from justification in this, that while the latter is an act of grace for or toward us, the former is a work done in us by which our nature is regenerated, the heart renewed and changed, enabling us to love God and His holy law.”—Hoke on Holiness. In the words of some of the older theologians, “Justification is salvation from the guilt of sin, regeneration is salvation from the reigning power of sin, and sanctification is salvation from the indwelling of sin.” This statement is clear and Scriptural.
Justification is not a real making just as if the sinner had not sinned, so that he deserves reward rather than punishment; but it is a remission of the penalty of sin. If one has sinned, it cannot be that he has not sinned nor that he does not deserve to be punished, but it can be that the penalty for that sin is withheld from the offender. Thus justification is a forgiveness or pardon of sins committed. It is an overcoming of one of the two forms of sin and the overcoming man first needs.
But at the very moment a person is justified he needs to be given power over the reigning power of depravity so that he can refrain from at once falling again into sin and thus again incurring guilt. This overcoming of the power of depravity must be either by a complete restoration of the deranged moral nature or by a suppression of its reigning power by the incoming of the greater power of the Spirit of God. But inasmuch as human nature as now constituted is depraved, and the person who comes to God for justification was depraved in infancy, before he ever committed a sin, it is reasonable to expect that when he comes to God repenting of his sins he should be forgiven and restored to that same state in which he was before he sinned. But it is also reasonable to expect that God will give him power over depravity, by His indwelling Spirit, to refrain from sinning again. This suppression of depravity is in the Bible called regeneration, or a new birth, receiving a new heart, or becoming a new creature, because of the practical effects resulting in a new manner of life. This reasoning is given to show the possibility of distinguishing between regeneration and sanctification rather than as proof of sanctification as being subsequent to regeneration—of this subsequence the Scriptures furnish the proof.
A practical though probably not a critical distinction between regeneration and entire sanctification may be stated as follows: Regeneration is a suppression of the depravity by the power of the Spirit of God coming into one’s life, but entire sanctification is the eradication or removal of that depravity from the nature. This idea of regeneration is well expressed by Paul in these words, “For the law [power, see Romans 7:23] of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law [power] of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2) Because of its effects in the life, being regenerated may be properly described as it is in the Bible, as becoming “a new creature,” or receiving “a new heart.” That regeneration should be what is here stated is reasonable. It would be useless for God to forgive a sinner if He did not thus bring depravity into subjection to the Spirit of God. We have already shown that, though depravity is suppressed, yet it exists in the regenerated. Therefore a subsequent cleansing from this depravity is real, Scriptural, reasonable, and according to normal Christian experience.